The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs continued to chip away at their spring training roster on Tuesday April 7, inking four pitchers to deals.  All four have seen time as both starters and relievers in their careers, and all four are first-time additions to the Blue Crabs.  Forrest Cory, Tristan Crawford and Jim Warden are predominately relievers, and Kenny Rayborn, who has split time between starting and the bullpen in his career will have an opportunity to break into the Crabs starting rotation.

Cory, 25, is entering just his fourth professional season, after spending the last three in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.  The left-hander has logged 214 professional innings between three levels, and played for Double-A Mobile last season.  In 115 professional appearances (one start), Cory sports a solid 15-5 record and 3.57 ERA striking out138 batters and walking just 70.  Cory was an un-drafted free agent signing of Arizona in 2006.  

Crawford joins ‘Crustacean Nation’ after an eight-year run in the Minnesota Twins farm system, and spent last season with the Washington Nationals organization.  Signed out of Australia by Minnesota in 2000, Crawford reached Triple-A Rochester in 2007, after spending all of ’06 and most of ’07 with Double-A New Britain.  In 2008 he caught on with Washington, and was assigned to Double-A Harrisburg.  In 201 career games including 27 starts, Crawford boasts a 33-26 record, 382 strikeouts and just 152 walks in over 430 innings, and 12 professional saves. 

Warden, who has 30 saves in 8 professional seasons, comes to the Crabs after stints with the Cleveland Indians and Washington Nationals organizations.  A sixth round pick of Cleveland in 2001, Warden remained with the Indians through the 2007 season, reaching Triple-A Buffalo.  He split last season between Triple-A Columbus and Double-A Harrisburg with Washington.  He’s logged nearly 500 innings in his career, and has over 400 strikeouts.    

The Blue Crabs rounded out their latest signings with Kenny Rayborn, who is entering his 8th professional season but hasn’t played since 2005.  Rayborn’s career began after being drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 1997, and he spent 2000 and 2001 in the Seattle Mariners organization.  Another former Cleveland Indians farmhand, Rayborn spent parts of the 2003 through 2005 seasons back and forth between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Buffalo.  His last action came overseas with Hiroshima in the Japanese Major Leagues, where he appeared in 11 games to end ’05.  Rayborn has seen time as both a starter and reliever during his career, and is an impressive 56-34 with a 3.91 ERA in 192 career games.  He’s amassed over 800 innings pitched, striking out nearly 600 batters. 

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs will open their second season of Atlantic League Baseball at HOME on Thursday, April 23 at 7:05 p.m., against the Liberty Division rival Long Island Ducks.  The Blue Crabs will play 70 home games this season at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf.  Season tickets, group events and mini-plans are currently on sale for the 2009 season.  The Blue Crabs can also help your group fundraise at no risk and no up-front costs, by helping you sell hundreds of tickets to exciting Atlantic League Baseball.  Please call (301) 638-9788 for more details and to save your seat at the ballpark today!